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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bass — low music
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. firm — a company
  12. degree — temperature
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fine — all right
  16. mine — for digging
  17. degree — from a university
  18. rest — a break
  19. firm — decided
  20. degree — an amount
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — steady
  23. bass — the fish
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com